Apparatus and method for recovering fat

Claim 1

A ROTARY HAMMER MILL WHICH COMPRISES, A CASING, A DRIVE SHAFT MOUNTED FOR HORIZONTAL ROTATION IN SAID CASING, A ROTOR DRIVEN BY SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING HAMMERS CARRIED BY SAID ROTOR AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AND AXIALLY OF SAID RATOR, SAID CASING HAVING A FEED OPENING FOR FEEDING MATERIAL TO BE TREATED INTO THE PATH OF CERTAIN OF SAID HAMMERS SO AS TO BE SUBJECTED TO IMPACTS BY THE LAST MENTIONED HAMMERS, SAID LAST MENTIONED HAMMERS BEING POSITIONED WITHIN A LIMITED PORTION OF THE AXIAL EXTEND OF SAID ROTOR SO THAT MATERIAL BEING TREATED IN SAID MILL MUST MOVE AXIALLY TO SAID ROTOR TO BE SUBJECTED TO IMPACTS BY THE REMAINING HAMMERS CARRIED BY SAID ROTOR, A STATIONARY SCREEN STRUCTURE EXTENDING AXIALLY AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF SAID ROTOR, AND SCREEN STURCTURE BEING ADJACENT AND SPACED RADIALLY FROM THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID HAMMERS AND HAVING SCREEN OPENINGS THEREIN ADJACENT SAID ENDS OF SAID HAMMERS, SAID SCREEN STRUCTURE HAVING AT LEAST ONE SCREEN OPENING ADJACENT THE ENDS OF THE HAMMERS BELOW THE DRIVE SHAFT AND AXIALLY REMOTE FROM SAID FEED OPENING WHICH SAID ONE SCREEN OPENING IS SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER THAN THE SCREEN OPENINGS ADJACENT THE ENDS OF SAID CERTAIN HAMMERS, SAID CAUSING HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING FOR DISCHARGING FROM SAID MILL MATERIAL PASSING THROUGH SAID SCREEN OPENINGS, SAID ROTOR HAVING KNIVES SECURED TO SAID ROTOR AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AT A POSITION AXIALLY SPACED FROM SAID CERTAIN HAMMERS AND ADJACENT SAID LARGER OPENINGS, AND A STATIONARY KNIFE SUPPORTED BY SAID CASING AND COOPERATING IN CUTTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIRST MENTIONED KNIVES.